Jerry Wayne Taylor

Jerry Wayne Taylor went home to be with Jesus on Monday morning, March 22, 2021.  

Jerry was born on Tuesday, June 12, 1945 to Clark Wayne “Pete” Taylor and Agnes (Bankston) Taylor. Jerry was a life-long resident of Clara, Mississippi. He graduated from Clara High School and attended Jones County Junior College and Delta State College. Jerry was in the Mississippi Army National Guard for just shy of 40 years and was a Desert Storm and Operation Noble Eagle Veteran and received numerous awards for his service. He was a member of the Waynesboro, Mississippi unit through three reorganizations having begun his time with the 193rd Transportation Company. The unit reorganized as the 624th Quartermaster Company (Petroleum Support) and the unit was mobilized in 1990 for Desert Shield/Desert Storm. The unit next reorganized as Detachment 1, 3656th Maintenance Company and Jerry spent the last year of his military career at Camp Shelby in support of Operation Noble Eagle. In civilian life Jerry worked in seismic and manufacturing industries but spent most of his working life in timber-related industries including several years at Masonite Southern Woodlands and then he finished his working years at Hood Industries in Waynesboro as the Log yard Supervisor.

Jerry was active at First Baptist Church in Clara for 60 years having served as a Deacon, Sunday School teacher, Vacation Bible School leader, greeter, member of numerous committees, and behind-the-scenes do-er. He was a member of the Wayne County & Mississippi Forestry Associations and was a life member of the Mississippi National Guard Noncommissioned Officers (NCO) Association and the Enlisted Association of the National Guard of the United States (EANGUS). He served as a Sergeant-at-Arms at a Mississippi NCO Conference and several years as a MS NG NCO Association delegate to EANGUS Conferences. Both the Mississippi and EANGUS Auxiliary honored Jerry in different years as the Auxiliary Spouse of the Year.

Jerry’s family and friends knew him as a man of deep faith in God. He was loving, loyal, big-hearted, generous, hard-working, and he had a “quirky” sense of humor that always delighted folks. Jerry enjoyed nature, traveling, and horsepower—from cars, to trains, to planes. He learned to fly small planes in the 70s. He was an athlete and continued to run well into his sixties.

Jerry is preceded in death by his parents, Pete and Agnes (Bankston) Taylor; grandparents, Jeff and Sissy (Ward) Bankston and Henry and Julia (Clark) Taylor; and several aunts, uncles, and cousins. He is survived by his wife of 49 plus years, Vivian; his brothers Jimmy (Janis) and Joe (Teresa) Taylor; brothers-in-law Robert (Carole) and Richard Dean; nieces Melissa Taylor, Ashley Dean, and Nichole (Darrin) Caddell; nephews Nicky Joe, Stephen Matthew (Laura), and Jeffrey (Melissa) Taylor, Richard Chase (Misti) and Ronald Brett (Bre) Dean, and Jason L. (Marsha) Sehon; and much loved aunts, uncles, cousins, great nieces and great nephews (to whom he was known as “Uncle Doodie” to Allie and Brenon), and honorary kids.  

Visitation will be held from 5:00 PM to 9:00 Thursday, March 25, 2021 at First Baptist Church in Clara.  Funeral services will be held at 10:00 AM Friday, March 26, 2021 at First Baptist Church in Clara with Dr. Richard A. Bradley and Rev. Jason L. Sehon officiating. Pallbearers are Deacons and friends. Honorary pallbearers are military members with whom Jerry served.  

SFC (Ret) Taylor will be interred at the Mississippi Veterans Memorial Cemetery, 248 Honor Circle, Newton, Mississippi on Friday, March 26, 2021 with Graveside Services beginning at 1:00 PM. The number allowed at the interment will be 100 and the cemetery is continuing the mask mandate and social distancing. 

The family will never be able to adequately thank all Jerry’s caregivers, church family, and friends for the support provided during Jerry’s illness but our Savior knows who you are and how much we appreciate you all. Memorials may include flowers or donations to First Baptist Church in Clara (PO Box 15, Clara, MS 39324) for any of the special Missions Offerings or Gideon Bibles or to the EANGUS “We Care for America” Foundation, Inc. (1 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Suite 880, Washington, DC 20001), or any other charity of the donor’s choice.